Seoul
South Korea, Asia
Ancient palaces, 3am fried chicken, and a subway that shames the world.
The convenience stores never close and neither does the city. At 2am in Hongdae, university students eat tteokbokki from paper cups under neon signs while a busker covers a K-pop song badly and everyone sings along anyway. Seoul is 10 million people living at full speed, ancient palaces wedged between glass towers, street food alleys running under elevated highways, and a subway system that makes every other city's look embarrassing.
Our honest take
Seoul rewards curiosity and punishes laziness. Stick to the tourist circuit and you'll miss the best parts. The city is overwhelming at first, everything moves fast, signs aren't always in English outside main areas. Give it three days before you judge it. The food alone justifies the flight.
Why go
- Korean BBQ at a proper samgyeopsal grill, pork belly over live charcoal, scissors instead of a knife, soju poured by the server, and banchan refilled without asking
- Gyeongbokgung Palace at 9am before tour groups arrive, the scale of it, backed by the Bugaksan ridgeline, makes Seoul's glass towers feel like a recent interruption
- A norebang session at midnight, private room, tambourines, song books the size of a Bible, and the knowledge that nobody outside will ever hear what happens in there
Skip if you can
- Bukchon Hanok Village on a weekend afternoon, it's a real residential neighbourhood being slowly crushed by foot traffic; residents have posted signs asking people to be quiet, and the atmosphere is tense rather than charming
- Lotte World Tower observation deck if you're on a budget, 27,000 KRW ($19) for a view you can mostly get from N Seoul Tower for 21,000 KRW ($15), and the tower itself is just a glass box
- Itaewon for Korean food, it's the international district, fine for a night out, but eating Korean food there feels like ordering pizza in Naples
Things to do
Where locals eat
Ground mung beans mixed with kimchi, bean sprouts, and pork, fried crisp on a griddle, a Gwangjang Market institution, best eaten hot with makgeolli.
Bindaetteok Alley at Gwangjang Market (e.g. Soonhee's / Soonheenae, of Netflix's Street Food fame)
Thick pork belly grilled at the table, wrapped in lettuce with garlic, ssamjang, and kimchi, communal, and cheaper than the beef cuts.
A local gogi-jip (BBQ restaurant), busiest after work
Chewy rice cakes in a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce, the definitive Korean street snack, often with fish cake and boiled egg.
A street stall (pojangmacha) or a market food alley
Hand-cut wheat noodles in an anchovy or chicken broth, comfort food, and a Gwangjang Market alley specialty alongside mayak gimbap.
A noodle stall at Gwangjang Market
Costs
Per person, per day on the ground, lodging, food, local transport and activities. Excludes international flights (see Getting there).
Subway ride: 1,400-2,500 KRW ($1-1.80). Bibimbap at a local restaurant: 8,000-12,000 KRW ($6-9). Korean BBQ per person with soju: 25,000-40,000 KRW ($18-29). Gyeongbokgung entry: 3,000 KRW ($2.20).
Getting there
Where to stay
Dead centre, walking distance to palaces and shopping, loud and commercial but extremely convenient
University area, bars, cheap eats, norebang strips, younger and louder, good hostel and mid-range options
Galleries, tea houses, traditional craft shops, quieter at night, closer to palaces and Bukchon
Good to know
- Seoul is extremely safe by global standards, pickpocketing is rare but keep an eye on bags in Myeongdong crowds
- Pedestrian crossings are respected but electric scooters and delivery bikes run red lights constantly
- Tap water is technically safe to drink but locals mostly don't, buy a bottle or use the filtered dispensers in most accommodation
- Avoid political demonstrations near Gwanghwamun Square on weekends, they're common, peaceful, but can block large areas for hours
Prices, visa rules, and transport details may change. Always verify with official sources before booking. Last updated: July 2026.